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September 5, 2012

Schadenfreude 137 (A Continuing Series)

If [the Yankees] succeed in blowing the rest of the 10-game lead they had accumulated over the American League East a month ago, they will have accomplished the biggest collapse in the history of this storied franchise. ...

[N]o Yankees team ... has ever run off by 10 games ahead of the division and come back to the field.

Consider it done!

On the morning of July 19, the Yankees held a 10-game lead over the Orioles in the AL East. That sizable advantage is completely gone - and New York is now tied with Baltimore for first place in the division. (The Rays are only 1.5 GB.)

This is the biggest collapse in Yankees history. Well, Yankees regular season history. ... We all know the Yankees have a much larger post-season collapse.

The Yankees lost their lead in the AL East Tuesday night and Joe Girardi lost his marbles.

The manager was ejected for arguing balls and strikes in the fourth inning of the Bombers' 5-2 loss to the Rays ...

Girardi's explosion — which came 13 days after he screamed at a fan in Chicago following a White Sox sweep — was a fitting snapshot for a team that seems to be falling apart a little more every day. ...

[W]ith their 10th loss in 14 games, the Yankees have seen the 10-game lead they held on July 18 turn to dust, leaving them in a tie with the Orioles for not only the AL East lead but also the second AL wild-card spot.

The Yankees had six or fewer hits for the fifth straight game, the longest such streak since the 1990 team which finished 67-95.

The Yankees have fallen and they can't get up. They've lost 10 out of 14 during a stretch that included six games with the free-falling Indians and Blue Jays, and the only game they've won in the last five days was a late-inning giveaway by the Orioles.

In other words, it sure feels like a collapse. ...

[W]while the players do their best not to let any panic show, one veteran player admitted privately on Tuesday to a feeling of disbelief about what has been happening on the field lately.

The Yankees are 19-25 since July 18, when they held a 10-game lead over the Orioles. Their descent has been ugly, replete with poor starting pitching, an inability of relievers to keep deficits close and a lineup beset by injuries and displaying its advanced age.